The present invention relates to an anticreep device for annular members, and more particularly to a device for use in an antifriction bearing for preventing the creep of the outer ring relative to the housing supporting the outer ring or the creep of the inner ring relative to the shaft supporting the inner ring.
With apparatus incorporating antifriction bearings, the inner ring or outer ring of the bearing is likely to creep depending on the mode of installation of the bearing and the material or structure of the housing or shaft, or owing to vibration or an increase in the fitting clearance due to the rise of temperature during use, resulting in seriously impaired bearing performance or marked wear on the fitting surface to shorten the life of the bearing as well as of the apparatus.
While various means have heretofore been developed for preventing such objectionable creep, many of them require a special groove or cutout in the bearing, housing or shaft, thus necessitating cumbersome procedures for machining the bearing or support member and for installing the bearing in apparatus.
These conventional devices include an anticreep assembly of relatively simple construction as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,519.
The assembly includes a resilient ring in engagement with a housing and engaging in a peripheral groove formed in the outer ring of a bearing. When the assembly is used under conditions involving vibration or varying loads, abrasion occurs at the portions where expanded arched portions of the resilient ring are in pressing contact with the housing, resulting in a reduced pressing contact force. Furthermore, the resilient ring is liable to creep relative to the grooved portion or to the housing, such that the anticreep assembly is not satisfactorily serviceable at locations where creeping poses a serious problem.
The low resistance of the conventional device to creep is thought attributable to the structure adapted to prevent creep by the pressing contact force which is available only by the elastic deformation (bending stress) of the resilient ring.